Spark a Revolution
by HungryDemon
Summary: Three Teams: Mystic, Valor, and Instinct, all meant to work together to discover the mysteries of Pokemon. But the once friendly rivalry between the teams has grown to extremism, with Team Instinct spearheading violence in the streets. All Shiloh wants to do is spend the night safely with her sister, but when Instinct threatens her beloved Pokemon, she finds she cannot sit by.
1. Chapter 1

"Hannah!" I jumped from my seat when I saw my sister enter the PokéStop. We were sheltered in a tall white building with some historic significance to it, but I'd never learned what that was. There were five or six other trainers already there, most looking bored and frustrated. But that frustration was nothing compared to the annoyed scowl etched on Hannah's face.

Hannah took a seat next to me on the worn pumpkin-orange couch and threw her bag on the ground. "Travel ban, my ass."

"How about, 'thanks for the heads-up, Shiloh'?" I suggested.

Hannah unlocked her phone for what I was sure was the millionth time today. I know she was looking at the Pokémon gyms nearby, eying them enviously. "Yeah, right. It's stupid. He's farther out west. Everyone knows that."

I frowned. "Well, that's what we've been hearing, but who really knows? Better to be here, right?"

Hannah rolled her eyes. "That's exactly why you're not cut out for Valor." She leaned forward, taking in the room we were in. Big windows, old doors with creaky hinges. "This place'll go up like dry kindling if we get hit. Why're you even here?"

I knew why she was asking. I was the only person at the PokéStop sporting any blue. Everyone else here was on Team Valor. I could've easily waited out the night in the gym a block down, currently held by my own team, Mystic. And Hannah was right. The solid walls of a Pokémon Gym would be a lot sturdier than this place. But I knew my sister. She wouldn't be caught dead in a Blue gym unless she was trying to take it over. I hadn't even been sure she'd come here if I hadn't badgered her about it for the better part of the day.

"I figured we could hang out for a bit," I told her. Not saying that I was worried, because I knew she would call me a chicken, afraid of what I saw on TV. Things were bad out west, everyone knew that. But here…

We were safe. We had to be.

"Fine," Hannah relented. Neither of us had seen much of each other since we'd joined our separate teams. If we were being honest, we'd say that it was the culmination of twenty years of sibling rivalry coming to a head. She got up from the couch and went into the kitchenette; both of us had visited this PokéStop enough times to be familiar with its layout. The social club that met here once a week was nice enough to leave a few snacks out for trainers who stopped by, though they had put a donation can on the counter. Hannah poured a packet of instant coffee crystals into a styrofoam cup. "You want one?" She indicated the cup.

I nodded. My nerves were frayed since the travel ban was announced. No trainers out on the street from sunset to sunrise. A couple minutes later, Hannah delivered our coffees. Black for her, extra cream for me. She knew just how I liked it.

She gave quick nods to the other Valor members she knew before coming back to the touch and handing me my coffee. "Thanks," I said, taking the cup.

We sipped our drinks for a second, each left with our own thoughts.

"What does Blanche think about all this?" Hannah finally asked, and I saw the other members of Team Valor turn their heads, lean towards us slightly. Just enough to be noticeable. Any news about another person's team was worth listening to. Someone else might've kept quiet, but what was the point? We were all in this together.

"She's not happy," I said, knowing that I was speaking to the whole room. "But says that we just need to be careful, pay attention, and it'll all blow over." I wish I had Blanche's confidence. "Be respectful of the other teams, and don't start anything. What about Candela?"

Hannah stared into her coffee, probably wondering what her team members would think if she said anything. But if I dished, she'd have to, too. "She's mad," Hannah told me at last. "Says this isn't what Professor Willow wants, that Team Valor is tougher than this. We'll survive, no matter what happens."

"And I guess we all know what Spark thinks," came a voice from the other side of the room. A trainer who had been listening it. I remembered his name was Juan; he was a friend of Hannah's. "Mystic can pussyfoot around all they want, but Valor's not gonna take this lying down."

I felt my flash flush. "We're not doing nothing," I spoke up. "But if we fight back, it only proves Instinct's point! That Mystic and Valor are bullies, picking on the little guy."

"So we let them take over?" He shot back. "Just get comfy while they take _our_ gyms, the ones we fought for?" He was suddenly on his feet.

"Yes!" The second I heard myself say it, I knew I shouldn't have.

The windows rattled in their antique frames. Outside, the wind was picking up. I tried to ignore it. "The gyms are supposed to change hands quickly. They're not meant to be held by one team forever. The gyms aren't the real problem."

"People have _died_ , Blue!" The belligerent trainer started shouting. "And you want to let their killers stockpile resources while the rest of us sweat it out here-"

There were a few _ticks_ of a clock somewhere. The sound of raindrops had hit the window.

"I'm not saying that!" I argued back. "Everything got out of control, but if you keep threatening someone, of course they'll fight back."

Then another Valor trainer, a girl, broke into our conversation. Her voice was loud, trying to talk over use both while she explained that Instinct had struck first. "Instinct murdered a Blue. One of you guys. And Blanche doesn't want to take them down?"

I broke into a cold sweat, and looked at my sister for back-up. Hannah didn't say anything, but her hands were holding on to her coffee cup so tightly the styrofoam was starting to indent. Above us, the clouds opened up, and rain poured down on the PokéStop.

"One person doesn't speak for a whole team," I tried to say, wanted so badly for them to understand.

"Spark does. Blanche does," someone finally chimed in. Hannah.

So much for quality time together. "And so does Candela," I added. All eyes in the room were suddenly on me, and all of them were pissed off. I felt like there was something I could have said that could calm everyone, but I didn't know what it was. Remind everyone that it all started when someone got pushed too far, and suddenly struck back. "It could've been anyone, not just-"

A rumble of thunder interrupted me, and I got quiet. All of us seemed to remember why we were here. Shelter from the storm.

"Whatever." The guy I'd been arguing with sat back down, arms crossed.

I was glad to sink back into my seat, next to Hannah. "Maybe you should've gone to a gym, Shy," she murmured.

I took a sip of my coffee just so I didn't have to respond. Trying to think about how everything spun out of control. The three different teams were supposed to be fun. A little friendly rivalry, where we could learn more about Pokémon from each other. That was the idea, but soon supporting your team meant hating everyone else's. Then disagreements spilled over from Pokémon to fist fights. And then a drunken brawl between someone from Instinct and someone from Mystic ended with the Mystic team member dead. But that Blue had a cousin in Valor, who struck back, and…

And after that, the slope just got slipperier and slipperier. People got angrier. And Spark, Team Instinct, used that anger to get organized. The team we used to mock became an army overnight. Suddenly, reports of violence came in. The streets weren't safe at night. And if you were Valor or Mystic, then you either needed to fight, or get plowed under. At least, that was what everyone in this room seemed to think.

It had only taken a couple months for everything to be blown to hell. And about five minutes in this PokéStop for almost everyone to turn against me.

I sighed. Even my own sister wasn't willing to hear me out. Hannah kept checking her phone, the way you do when you can't think of what to say. I kept staring into my milky cup of coffee, lost in my own thoughts.

A bolt of lightning flashed outside, and goosebumps rose on my skin.

I used to like thunder storms. Not anymore.

Hannah's eyes went wide for a second, and then went back to her phone. She opened up her AR Gym app, and I did the same. A map of our area loaded, showing the streets, PokéStops, and gyms nearby. There were three not too far from us, all of them held by Mystic for now. Where I would have found my other teammates. With the dusk to dawn travel ban, I was sure the gyms would stay Blue for the night. After a minute I closed the app and started rummaging around in my backpack. I pulled out a couple slightly broken granola bars, and offered them to Hannah.

She took the chocolate chip one. Of course she did. "Thanks. I don't suppose they have cots or anything in here?" She said, unwrapping her granola bar. It was wishful thinking. There were a couple couches, but it looked like most of us would be on the floor now the other Valor trainers had broken into their own separate conversations, quietly checking their phones. Compulsively, I opened the AR Gym app again. "I left Cavall at one of the gyms. My Horsea."

"A Horsea? Really?" Hannah said.

"It's a _strong_ Horsea," I was quick to add.

"If you say so." Still, Hannah had detected the note of concern in my voice. "I'm sure it'll be fine for the night."

The rain lashed against the window panes, getting heavier every minute. Hannah patted the pokéballs on her belt. "I've got everyone with me for now. But thanks for letting me know what I'll be up against tomorrow morning."

I smiled despite myself. Finally, a normal conversation between the two of us. "I'd like to see you try. Water beats fire, every time." I knew her prize pokémon was her Growlithe.

"Strategy isn't everything."

"Strategy counts for a lot." It was how I won most of my gym battles. But Hannah was the type to kick down the door and go all-in. She used typed-alignments like everyone, of course, but preferred brute force.

"Not if your ass is on fire," She quipped.

I laughed. We were finally starting to settle in, get comfortable. Despite the tension in the room, I was starting to feel normal. Just talking to Hannah. Like sisters.

"Whatever," I told her - not my most original line - and unwrapped my granola bar. It looked like we'd be skipping dinner tonight. "Do you wanna do breakfast tomorrow?"

Hannah nodded. "I would kill a man for a doughnut," Hannah said without a second's hesitation.

"There is definitely an easier way to get a doughnut, Han." I bit into my granola bar. Peanut butter, because _someone_ had to take the chocolate chip. "Anyway, I'm glad you met me here. Even if things got a little…" I let my voice drift. I didn't really think I needed to finish that sentence.

She tilted her head slightly, shook some hair out of her eyes. "Yeah. I know." Hannah looked sheepish for a second, a little apologetic. But sisters or not, she was still Team Valor. She couldn't admit I was right. "Me too," she added. "We'll be out of here by tomorrow, anyway. Can't wait to take over your gym."

There was another flash of lightning, so bright it lit up the room. A second later, we were in darkness. A power outage. There weren't any screams like you see on TV, but suddenly the tension that had been dying down came back full force. All I could see was the backlights of phones, Hannah's features illuminated in the bluish light of her own.

"Oh, shit." Juan said. "Everyone, check your phones!"

Those who didn't have the AR Gym map opened already did so, me among them. A gym, four blocks away from us, had turned yellow. Team Instinct was nearby.

I wanted to tell myself it didn't mean a thing. A single strong trainer could take down a gym. I couldn't convince myself, though. That it wasn't an army of yellow-clad trainers, angry, marching straight towards us.

Everyone at the PokéStop seemed to be having the same conversation: "Oh shit...do you think...what are we gonna do?" Hannah was biting her lower lip, watching the screen.

"I'm sure it's a fluke," she said, like she wanted to believe herself.

Then the texts started arriving. The first one I got was from a guy named Klaus, the unofficial leader of Team Mystic in the area. I opened it. In all caps, it read:

DUNCAN ST GYM TAKEN INSTINCT ON MOVE

I broke into a cold sweat. This couldn't be happening. Not here.

Then, another text from Klaus: SPREAD OUT DEFEND GYMS

The Duncan Street gym wasn't far from where I had left Cavall, my Horsea. It shouldn't have happened, but there were reports of Instinct members stealing Pokémon. And Cavall was so small…

No, he would be fine. He had to be.

After the first two, my phone exploded in text messages. Apparently, he'd sent it out to every member of Team Mystic he had on his phone. The other Blues were sending back messages like, "omw", or that they were securing a gym's defenses. More than a few only stated, "FUCK INSTINCT". There were so many going all at once that I couldn't keep up with them.

The Valor team members stuck inside with me were also staring at their phones, either furiously texting or watching the two remaining Mystic gyms. "We should get out there," Juan was saying. "We can push back Instinct before they get to the other gyms."

"Let 'em fend for themselves," another girl argued back.

"Shiloh?" Hannah's voice broke through my nerves and my hyperfocus on my phone screen. "What's Mystic saying?"

I'd barely been thinking about Mystic's position since Klaus's first text. "I need to get out there. I've got to protect Cavall."

If Hannah had said that to me, I wouldn't have let her go. I would have argued that it was too dangerous. But Hannah was the bold sister, the brave one who couldn't stand to hide. "I'll come with you." She looked down at her phone again. " _Shit_." Instinct had taken another Blue gym.

"We'd better hurry." I rose from my seat.

"I'm coming too." It was the last person I expected to speak up; Juan, the trainer I'd argued with earlier. There was another flash of lightning, illuminating his features for a fraction of a second. "Anyone else?" Juan looked around the darkened room. For a second, I thought he might give some impassioned speech about how Team Valor had to fight against Instinct, or something like that, but he never did. I wondered what the other trainers in that room were thinking. Were they were scared, like I was? Or did they want to get out and fight, like they claimed? For all their supposed courage, how many were actually going to get up and go out into what might have very well been a battlefield?

If I could've, I would have stayed where it was safe. But that didn't seem like an option. My phone was still exploding with texts in my pocket, and I wished I could turn it off. But it was too important to keep track of the gyms. I checked the barrage of messages, one after another. "Mystic's coming on en force, trying to defend their gyms and take back the ones Instinct knocked out. I need to get to Duvall Street. It's just a couple blocks down, and so far it's still Mystic's." I tried to sound confident, and, by the end of my short announcement, I actually did. Right now the most important thing was keeping my Pokémon safe. And if that meant I had to brave the storm, maybe Team Instinct's army...then I would.

Juan and Hannah weren't the only Valors to step up. Two more did as well, and the rest hung back. "What's our strategy, Shy?" My sister asked.

Crap. I was Team Mystic. I was supposed to be the smart one; Hannah was expecting that. "Our priority is the Duvall Gym. Once we're there we can meet up with the others and see what the situation is. It's not far, but we've all heard enough about how the 'new' Team Instinct operates. Get a Pokémon out in case we need to fight before we're ready. Pokemon battles _only_. Lay a hand on anyone, they'll hit you back just as hard, if not harder. _That's_ how people end up dead." There was a sharpness to my voice that was rarely ever there, so much that I sounded unfamiliar, even to myself. "We stay in a group until we get to the gym. Try to get a mix of Types, too. That way a single Pokémon can't wipe out all of us at once. Got it?"

"Got it," Hannah echoed, and the others murmured their agreement.

I tossed out one of my pokéballs, and in a burst of light, Bruce, my Hitmonlee appeared. Bruce and I had been doing a lot of work these past few weeks. He was strong and fast, and possessed the most human-like intelligence of all my Pokémon. That meant he'd challenged me nearly every step of the way when it came to training him. We'd only recently reached a mutual understanding, and tonight I hoped that he knew he had to obey me. If the stories I'd heard were true, this could be a matter of life and death. "Bruce, listen up." I looked straight into his narrow eyes. "We're both going into danger. You need to stay close to me, do what I say. You can't fight me on this. Got it?"

Bruce dipped his head slightly, which I'd taken to mean agreement.

Hannah gave me a side-eyed glance. She leaned over to pet her Growlithe, just released from its pokéball. "You named your Hitmonlee 'Bruce'?"

"You named your Likitung 'Colonel Angus'," I shot back.

"Touché." She stopped scratching Kano's head, and we surveyed the room. Juan had brought out a Haunter that was circling in the air around him; another trainer had a Beedrill hovering nearby. There was a third with a Clefairy, and another with a Pikachu. Would we be able to stand up to Team Instinct if we had to? I hoped we wouldn't need to find out.

I'd also realized that in the past couple minutes, I'd somehow become the leader of this group. Whether they were going out to fight Instinct or help me didn't matter now. I was just glad I wasn't going alone. I double-checked my backpack for healing items, and then looked at the crew that had somehow assembled before me. "Everyone ready?"

When they all agreed, we left the PokéStop. It was completely dark outside; the storm - at least, I hoped it was the storm - had knocked out the street lamps for blocks, and the thick clouds hid any light that the stars and moon might have given us. We could only see the outlines of each other and our pokémon, illuminated by the glow of our phone's flashlights.

The rain came down in sheets, soaking into our clothes, running down our backs. Without any easy way to see where we were going, more than once, I found myself in cold ankle-deep puddles.

The street we were on appeared to be deserted. No one from Instinct coming to kill us, or Mystic rushing to defend their last remaining gym in the neighborhood. We kept quiet as we moved; I can't say what the others were thinking, but I was wondering if it was really the rain's chill that made goosebumps rise on my skin, or the prospect of meeting an enemy face-to-face.

That quiet walk only lasted until we turned the corner.

I heard the fight before I saw it: yelling, the sound of trainers engaged in battle. Then came the shock of yellow light-an electric pokémon. Did we interfere? Did we dare?

"Dance, Blue!" A voice came out of the darkness as another jolt of yellow light lashed out.

When I got closer, the scene unfolded itself in front of me. Two trainers from Team Instinct were encircling an trainer from Mystic. Their victim was trying to hide behind his Graveler, using it as a shield. Lightning dance around his feet, making him jump. Even in the meager light I could see a split lip, and a dark burn mark running down his arm.

The Instinct trainers were menacing, grinning like predators. One's Electabuzz sent sparks flying at the Mystic trainer's feet. The other trainer's Pikachu didn't even bother fighting the Graveler. A second later it let out a charge of electricity, hitting the injured trainer.

"Kano! Flamethrower!" Hannah called out beside me. A blast of fire struck the unsuspecting Pikachu, while I turned my focus on the Electabuzz.

"Bruce!" My Hitmonlee didn't need much more prompting than that. He slammed a kick into the the Electabuzz's stomach, sending the pokémon careening back towards its sadistic trainer.

The other trainers from Valor had encircled the injured Mystic trainer and his Graveler. "Back off!" Juan yelled, his Haunter glaring menacingly at them. But the Pikachu sent another shock of electricity towards Kano, and the Electabuzz was getting back on its feet.

"Geist-hypnosis!"

"Clefairy, sing!" Another Valor trainer commanded her pokémon.

The psychic wave hit the Electabuzz, which slumped over. The Pikachu wobbled for a second as it heard the Clefairy's song, then closed its eyes.

"Get the hell out of here!" Juan called out to the Instinct trainers.

"Valor trash! Mystic scum!" The two trainers were shouting insults, but they knew they were outnumbered.

"You're the scum!" Hannah called back. In that moment, she looked like her Growlithe: fierce, hackles raised, fangs bared.

"This is our town now!" Even as the Instinct trainer argued, he was withdrawing his sleeping Pikachu.

"This'll never be your town!" My sister shouted. Kano's growling only accentuated her point.

"Red bitch!" One of them shouted, and then they both ran.

I knelt down by the Mystic trainer. I didn't know him, but I could tell that he was scared. Burn marks ran down his arms and neck, no doubt from the shocks he'd received. "What's your name? What happened?"

"I'm Carl," he replied, his voice shaking. "I got Klaus's texts. Was trying to get to the Duvall Gym." He took his phone out of his pocket. The case was charred, and the phone refused to turn on. The Pikachu's attack had probably fried it.

No, I told myself forcibly. It wasn't the Pikachu's fault, it was the Instinct trainer that had ordered his Pikachu to do this.

"I think you need to get to the hospital," I said.

"I'll take him," Juan offered.

Carl went rigid. "No. Not you." He looked at me. "Her."

"Me?" I was startled, thrown off. "I can't. I need to get my Horsea back before someone from Instinct steals him."

"I'm not going with a Red."

I looked at the group I'd come with. "They're fine. They're all good people."

"I'll go," Hannah spoke up. She gestured towards me. "Shiloh's my sister, and I'm a strong trainer. Those guys might not be the last of Instinct you run into tonight. You'll wanna take someone else with you."

I lightly touched Carl's shoulder to try to reassure him. He winced, and I removed my hand. "She's not lying. I trust my sister, and I know she'll get you there safe. She has my number in case something happens. But we don't have a lot of options here."

Carl nodded, groaned, and patted his Graveler, his shield. "Okay."

"Let me know when you get there," I told them both.

Hannah pulled me into a hug. Something she almost never did, especially not when there were other people watching. "We'll be fine. See you soon."

"Be careful." I watched them go. I didn't like that she'd split from the group, especially not after what we'd seen. What if there were more Instinct members lying in wait, ready to pounce on Hannah like they did Carl? I wanted to call out to Hannah just one more time, give her some final advice, but she disappeared into the rain and darkness.

The other members of Team Valor were waiting for me. I was the reason they were here, after all.

"You see what Instinct does," Juan said once we were moving again.

An hour ago, I would've said something about how two people didn't represent a whole team. But I was too angry. Because at that moment, I hated Instinct. Hated the trainers that attacked Carl, hated Spark, hated everything about them.

I opened the AR Gym app on my phone, the images blurring as fat raindrops hit my screen. Duvall was still Blue, but that could change at any moment. "Let's just get to the gym. We're almost there."


	2. Chapter 2

I'd seen gym battles before, two trainers duking it out with their pokémon to see who was stronger. Friendly competition.

The Duvall Gym was nothing like that. It was a warzone. Set in an abandoned church, at least a dozen Team Mystic members were engaged in battles from Instinct. There was nothing friendly about this. There were Mystic trainers ganging up on Instinct, injured Pokémon on both sides trying to stand up to unforgiving assaults. The Gym was still held by Mystic, but barely.

The Valor trainers accompanying me left to join the fight. To aid Mystic or try to take the Gym for themselves, I had no idea. I didn't want to know. I wanted to find my Horsea and leave. Return to the PokéStop or somewhere else, I didn't care. It was hard to remember the layout of the place without the pass around I felt myself being pushed down on my stomach; I fell hard on the ground, in between two pews. A foot was on top of my back, holding me down. I twisted to see it was Bruce, crouching down as a blast of fire rolled over us.

It had been aimed at us.

I waited on the hard floor, breathless. Bruce finally rose, letting me up.

I didn't stand up right away. Instead I grasped the edges the pew and pulled myself onto the bench, shaking. I heard the shouts, watched the flashes of color against the walls and ceiling while the thunder rolled overhead.

Cavall would be in the church basement, if no one from Instinct had stolen him yet. Keeping low, looked down the aisle. Behind the heavy door were stairs that would lead me to the cellar, if only I could make the ten feet to them.

I looked it up at Bruce. "You've got my back, right?"

He did his half bow again, as much as it was possible for him in his current position.

I took one last deep breath, and sprinted towards the door. When I felt the door swing open, I could've melted in relief. The door slammed shut behind Bruce and me, and my knees started to give way.

Despite Bruce's looks of warning, I felt myself loosen up. I was almost there, and soon I could run. Get out of here.

Just as I started down the stairs, I saw someone coming up. It was another trainer, wearing yellow. That was the first thing I saw - not even if it was a boy or girl coming my way. By the time I saw it was a boy, I also noticed the plethora of pokéballs he had his arms. They couldn't all be his.

Bruce reacted before I could. The Hitmonlee delivered a fierce kick to the boy stomach, sending the trainer careening down the stairs. He didn't even have time to defend himself. I watched as he fell, and heard the sick _thunk_ of his head smacking against the wall. I stared at Bruce, so shocked I didn't even have it in me to reprimand him.

Instead I ran down the stairs, where the pokéballs lay scattered. The boy was breathing, but unconscious. I didn't want to believe what I was seeing. Everything around me was surreal, a bad dream.

I grabbed a handful of pokéballs, hoping that one of them was Cavall's. After testing three, I finally found my Horsea. Gratefully, I returned him to his pokeball.

Time to get out. _Now_. I tried not to look at the boy as I made my way upstairs again, and slipped into the night.

I did check my AR Gym app just once as I left, and saw that the Duvall Gym-where I was standing-had gone white. Mystic wasn't holding it anymore. It was time to get out.

I didn't know where the other Team Valor members had gone-I'd lost them somewhere in the fight. I ran into the rain instead, looking for some place safe to stay.

Then I noticed Team Mystic lost its last gym in the area. It'd gone to Instinct. A cold dread overtook me, like I'd just swallowed ice. Another bolt of lightning lit up the black sky, and I knew I was not safe here.

Those trainers we'd battled earlier were right. This was Instinct's town now. I took off my hat, now soaked through by the heavy rain. The blue clothes I wore once showed that I was a proud member of Team Mystic. Now, it marked me as a target.

Right now, I wasn't exactly proud to be a part of any team.

 _Hannah_. The thought struck me like a punch to the gut. Where was my sister, and Carl? Had they made it to the hospital?

I fumbled with my phone, dialing Hannah's number.

One ring, then two. I held my breath.

Five...six rings. Nothing.

"Hi, it's Hannah! I can't come to the phone right now, leave a message!" My sister's chirpy voicemail did nothing to allay my fears. If anything, it made them worse. I was in the pouring rain, in the dark, but her voice was sunny and bright. It didn't seem right.

"Hannah, it's me. I'm out of the gym. Please, _please_ call me. Lemme know where you are. If-" I couldn't bring myself to say, "if you're safe". Instead, I went with, "I'll text you. Let me know what you're doing."

It wasn't until I ended the call that I realized I was shaking. I was standing on an empty street, but I felt like I could be attacked at any moment. Like a Fearow was going to swoop down from the sky and pick me up.

Did I regroup with the people I'd set out with? Try to find other members of Team Mystic? I didn't know. But I couldn't stay here.

I started down the street, keeping an eye on my phone, Bruce walking just a few feet behind me.


	3. Chapter 3

By the time the storm let up, my feet were aching and my phone was almost dead. I'd tried to call Hannah four times, and still hadn't gotten an answer. Even the group texts I'd been getting from other members of Team Mystic were few and far between. As for Juan and the others I'd set out with, I had no idea where they'd gone.

I checked the AR Gym app, conscious of my phone's low battery. There was another PokéStop at the hospital; I might be able to make it there. Maybe find Hannah and Carl. But the virtual map told me that it would take me downtown-right through the heart of Team Instinct's newly taken territory. Even though the rain had chilled me, I broke into a cold sweat when I saw the number of Yellow gyms I'd have to pass by. Hannah had gone through that?

Hannah was a strong trainer, I told myself. Stronger than I was, to be honest. I had to keep reminding myself of this, or I might get so worried I'd be incapable of carrying on. I took a deep breath, and resolved to get to the hospital.

I didn't know my way downtown as well as I would like; which streets to take that would keep Bruce and me safe. It was quieter than I would have expected after all the fierce fighting I'd seen. Most of the businesses were closed by now, and restaurants and bars that would normally be open were deserted, their lights dimmed. There were small groups of people wandering around; patrolling, I realized, once I saw the yellow clothes they all wore. I tried to hide whenever I saw one approach me, ducking around corners of buildings or crouching behind dumpsters. Slowly but surely, I was making my way towards the hospital.

Finally, I found myself on a street without gyms or PokéStops. I breathed a sigh of relief. Here, I could finally travel without running into any trainers.

I looked back at Bruce, still following faithfully. "Hang on for a bit longer, buddy. We're almost in the clear."

He started to bow, but the action was cut short by the sound of another trainer's voice, shouting, "Aerial Ace!"

The voice made me jump. I didn't think there would be anyone else out here. Before I could process this, a Pidgeot was diving towards Bruce, slashing at him with its beak and talons. Unprepared for a fight, Bruce flailed while the bird battered him, aiming for his small eyes.

"Hi Jump Kick!" I shouted. I had to get Bruce out of that assault. But he wavered before he had a chance to strike back. I saw his legs buckle, and he fell. I withdrew him from the battle quickly, staring at my opponent. It was a girl, a little younger than me, with a vicious smile on her face.

"Pidgeot," she commanded the bird, now circling above. She pointed her finger at me. "Get the Blue!"

My eyes widened. Had she really said that? "Wait-" I started to say, but the Pidgeot was already plunging downward toward me.

Suddenly my world was nothing but feathers and talons. I threw up my arms, trying to protect my face. The talons ripped into my arm. I screamed, and felt something hot land on my face. My blood. I tried to run, but its talon clipped my forehead. Turning around, I received a slash on the back of my neck.

I grasped for the Pokéballs at my belt, hurtling out the first one I got ahold of. There was a flash of light as a Vulpix emerged, then a blast of heat. The Pidgeot let out a squawk, and finally flew off.

My Vulpix, Kit, was standing in front of me. Her legs were shaking. "Kit!" I only took a second to scoop her up in my arms, and run. I had to get out of here. My plan to get to the hospital had fled from my mind by now. If a lone trainer could do this to me, I had no chance of getting there in one piece. I fled, like an injured Pokémon. Heading to the outskirts of town.

It wasn't until I was in a sparsely populated area that I actually slowed down.

I compulsively checked the AR gym app on the outskirts of town,possibly for the last time that night. My phone would die any minute, but if there were Instinct members around I needed to know.

What I hadn't expected to see was an unclaimed white gym. Cautiously, I approached. It was located in a small museum, and it was quiet. I expected to hear commands issued to Pokémon or see signs of battle. Instead, there was nothing.

One of the doors was unlocked. I pushed it open.

A spark of lightning flew past me, making the air around me crackle with electricity. "That was a warning." In the dim light, I said figure approach me, a Jolteon at her heels. "Tesla won't miss again." The voice belonged to a woman.

I swallowed as she approached me. Kit was standing behind me, timid. She'd never been in combat like this before. Then again, neither had I. "I'm not trying to start anything," I said. Even I could hear the exhaustion in my voice. "I just need someplace to stay."

The Jolteon's spines bristed even more as its trainer approached. "What Team are you on?"

After everything I'd seen tonight, I didn't want to be on any team. I found myself hesitating. I was actually ashamed to say I was on Mystic.

The woman caught my hesitation. "This is a neutral gym, and we mean to keep it that way. I know there's been a lot of action tonight. But this gym is not up for grabs. Got it?"

That didn't make any sense to me, but I wasn't about to tell her-and her fierce Jolteon-that. I only nodded. "I've been out all night, my Pokémon are hurt. I just need to go someplace safe," I told her.

Hands on her hips, she demanded, "promise me you won't try to claim this gym."

I looked at her Jolteon. "I won't. The last thing I need right now is more fights."

"Tesla, stand down." She looked at her Jolteon. After a second, its spines lowered. "Come in, then. But remember you're outnumbered here."

"Thanks," I said, and followed her into the museum.

The woman's name was Sasha, she told me while turning the lights on in the gift shop. For the first time I got a good look at her, a round face and wide eyes that made her look innocent, but the way she greeted me at the door was evident that she was someone on me I needed to watch out for. "You look like a drowned Rattata." She shifted through a shirt rack, finally plucking a white T-shirt and tossing it to me. "Sorry, not much else to spare. If this shit keeps up…" Sasha shook her head. "I've been watching the Gyms. Instinct's finally swept in?"

The Pidgeot had left scratches down my arms and face. In the full light, Sasha finally noticed them. "They do that to you?" They'd stopped bleeding by now, but my cheek was swollen underneath an angry set of lines from talons that had dug deep.

I couldn't help it. After such a long night, tears burned in my eyes. I watched the salty drop land on the T-shirt crumpled in my hands. Then another. I wiped my cheeks, bit my trembling lips. But every step I'd taken tonight, everything that happened came pouring back to me.

Because this was not how things were supposed to be done. Because everything about this night was wrong. And I was the victim. And maybe my sister was, too. Maybe everyone was.

Sasha didn't say anything, but was polite enough to look away while I cried. When I finally could wiped the tear tracks off my cheeks, she only nodded. "I 's been a bad night for a lot of trainers. There's a first aid kit upstairs. Let's get you cleaned up."

The second floor of the museum had a wide room overlooking the galleries. Sasha explained that it was for community events at the museum. It didn't look like much of anything – mostly empty space with a few plastic folding tables and chairs. Even though the museum was technically closed, four other trainers were sitting around, chatting lightly or playing cards. They looked up when I entered the room, but Sasha just offered me the first aid kit directed me to the bathroom

It wasn't until I finished adding the scratches on my arms and face with antiseptic cream did I remember that Sasha headed told me what team she was on. I felt my heart quicken. Was this some kind of trap? But this was supposed to be a neutral gym…

A neutral gym. How could that be? Why hadn't any of the trainers tried to claim it? I pulled on the clean shirt Sasha had given me, and took off my wet shoes and socks.

When I finally emerged from the bathroom, Sasha was waiting for me. That was when I noticed something else about her. Most trainers wore their team colors: red, blue, or yellow. Sasha was wearing all three: yellow hat, red jacket over a white shirt, and dark blue pants. After tonight, my first thought was that wearing every team's colors was a good way to get beat up, if not outright killed.

"Looking better already," Sasha commented. "So, now what's your plan?"

I sent into the nearest chair. My bare feet were aching. "I have no idea, honestly." All the adrenaline and fear that kept me going through the night had finally faded, leaving me shaken and exhausted. "My sister. I need to get in touch with her."

I reach for my phone one more time, only to see that it had finally died. "Is there a place I can charge my phone?"

"There's an outlet in the corner." Sasha nodded, but she appeared to be thinking about something. "Do you want to spend the night? It's not safe to be out alone."

Each minute I spend here seem stranger than the last. "I can stay here?" To be honest, it didn't seem any safer to stay with strangers in an unfamiliar place.

Sasha shrugged one shoulder. "We've got an arrangement with the museum director for now. Since the fighting's gotten so bad in other parts of the country-"

"-and here," I added.

"They let some Pokémon trainers hole up here, figuring we'll protect the artifacts better – and cheaper – than a security guard. For now. So we're using it as a base of operations for now."

"'We'?" I had to ask, looking at the other players around the room.

"'We.'" Sasha confirmed, "are Team Harmony."

"Team…what?" Sasha had spoken like I should have known what she was talking about. "There's no Team Harmony."

"There is now." I noticed the others trainers in the room were watching us, me especially. "I was on Team Instinct until Spark's message got too extreme for me. It turns out I wasn't the only one. Other trainers who're sick of how out of hand the fighting's got. And it's not just Instinct anymore."

I nodded, thinking of the argument at the PokéStop with everyone else. Where were they now? Were they safe? "It's Valor and Mystic pushing back."

"Then Instinct pushes back harder, so the other teams do too." She sighed. "It's a cycle. We decided to get out of it."

"That's why no one claimed this gym?" I ventured.

"Yeah." Sasha confirmed. "We wanted to make some kind of safe house for trainers like you. It's not permanent, but it's what we can do for now."

I slept badly that night – on the floor of a strange museum, in a bar and sleeping bag. Every time I shut my eyes, I could only dream of being out on the street, scared and alone. I saw my sister's face and though I tried to reach her, I never could. Through it all was the rain and lightning.

Sasha woke me up in the morning, and greeted me with a cup of coffee. The aroma only made me think of the PokéStop from the night before. "So what's next for you?" Sasha asked.

I swirled powdered creamer into my Styrofoam cup. "I need to get in touch with my sister. And then I want to join."

"Join?" Sasha was smiling.

"Team Harmony," I told her.

Sasha's smile broadened. "Welcome aboard."


End file.
